By Rick Schneider
November 3, 2009
The Elmhurst college men’s basketball team returns to the court after putting together what seemed to be an impressive season last year.
The Bluejays posted a 20-8 overall record, placed second in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW), ranked 20th in the D3hoops.com poll, and hosted the first-round of the NCAA Division III Men’s Basketball Tournament. However, the recent CCIW preseason polls picked the ‘Jays to finish in fifth place.
“We were hoping to be picked in the top four based on our good finishes over the past years,” said head coach Mark Scherer. “We love the underdog mentality. It should make us hungry to prove ourselves this season. How teams finish in the CCIW rarely coincide with the CCIW preseason poll.”
Wheaton College was picked to win the league. The ‘Jays faced Wheaton three times last year, only managing to beat them once, including their 67-63 loss in the CCIW Tournament Championship.
Augustana is predicted to be runner up while Carthage College and Illinois Wesleyan University are to finish in third and fourth place respectively.
The ‘Jays were able to beat Augustana College two out of three games last season, only losing by one point. They thumped Carthage College in the two times they met and also handed Illinois Wesleyan two losses.
Scherer explained that although he wanted to place higher he understands the rationale behind their ranking.
“The fifth place ranking is not inappropriate considering the loss of our three All-Conference seniors to graduation,” stated Scherer.
Brent Ruch, Ryan Burks, and Robert Strzemp all earned all-conference recognition last year. Ruch was selected to the all-conference first-team. Burks was named to the second team and Strzemp was named to the third team.
“In good programs there are always excellent players in the wings waiting for their opportunity to play,” Scherer said.
Ruch’s presence on the court will be a big loss for the ‘Jays this season.
He was a D3hoops.com fourth-team All-American last season, had 1,460 career points, 743 rebounds, 195 assists, 102 steals, and 102 blocked shots.
He averaged 17.9 points per game, had 7.3 rebounds per game and a league leading field goal percentage of .621.
Strzemp averaged 8.6 points and 4.1 points per game last season. He finished his EC career with 541 points, 260 rebounds, 100 assists, 36 steals, and eight blocks.
Burks ranked fourth in the league in scoring last season. His regular season average of 16.4 points and 4.7 rebounds earned him two CCIW
Player of the Week nominations. He ranks 10th all-time in school history with 1,337 points, racked up 362 rebounds, 140 assists, 74 steals and nine blocks.
With three starting spots open, new talent will be looked to step into their role, although Scherer is not quite sure who will it will be.
“We have 13 new-comers, 12 of them freshman, so there is a lot to learn,” said Scherer. “It is still too early to identify anyone as a shoe-in for playing time.”
Scherer looks to the seniors Dustin Bainter and Chris Childs to help the young players develop.
Returning sophomore Mike McCurdy feels that the loss of three major contributors will have a serious affect on the teams play.
“This year will really be a rebuilding year for us,” said McCurdy. “Along with the loss of our three seniors last year we’ve lost a bulk of our scoring and leadership. We expect to compete hard each game and put ourselves in a position to win.”
The ‘Jays have been working this off-season to fill in the gaps and get players into position. Players also participated in the Joy of the Game college summer league.
“[Sophomore] Wes Dukeman has been working hard to be the man in the middle,” said sophomore Zack Boyd. “A lot of other guys have got stronger and improved on a lot of different skills. The returners, including myself, are expected to play a bigger role.”
McCurdy is already seeing young players make their presence felt on the court, freshmen D’Ante Foster and Dough Small.
“[Foster] is a defensive specialist who can step up and take a charge and bruise the offense,” said McCurdy. “Small shows up for practice ready and eager to learn.”
The ‘Jays will have 11 non-conference games before beginning the long conference stretch on Jan. 1, including a trip to California at the end of November.
“I think the first games I am looking forward to are the two out in Los
Angeles right after Thanksgiving,” Bainter said. “We get to play a couple teams we never have before and we get to get out of the cold.”
Scherer commented that EC is not the only school in conference to lose players this off-season.
“All of the top four teams, Wheaton, Elmhurst, Augustana and North Central, suffered huge losses of personnel to graduation,” Scherer noted.
“For the first time in several years, the CCIW is wide open. The question will be can a team that has not finished at the top of the CCIW for several years make the jump to that elite status or will tradition win out?”
The ‘Jays look to answer this question with their opening game on Nov. 11.
“We want to improve throughout the year and contend for the conference title,” said Childs.